The Council of Europe suspends all contacts with Lukashenka’s regime because of its involvement in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The regime’s representatives will no longer be able to take part in meetings of the Council of Europe or its bodies, even as observers. At the same time, the conventions to which Belarus has acceded will remain effective.
The regime will no longer represent Belarus in such high-profile bodies of the Council of Europe as:
- The Venice Commission (provides legal advice to help states bring their legal and institutional structures into line with European standards);
- European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and Healthcare (enables the development, supports the implementation, and monitors the application of quality standards for medicines and their safe use);
- Sports organization of the Council of Europe (deals with ethics in sports);
- Group of States Against Corruption (monitors states’ compliance with anti-corruption standards).
Instead of relations with the regime, the Council of Europe will strengthen ties with Belarusian civil society and democratic forces. It will focus on Belarusian youth, independent media, and human rights defenders.
The democratic forces have already established relations with the Council of Europe. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya had a call with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić in April 2021 and met with her in November to gather greater support for democratic Belarus. In addition, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya’s representatives Alexander Shlyk and Anatoli Liabedzka spoke at the PACE closed hearings in January 2022.
